Spring-scale



J. H. NOLAN.

SPRING SGALE.

(No Model.)

No. 393,340. Patented Nov. 20, 1888.

PATENT Errors,

JOHN H.

NOLAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPRING-SCALE.

SPECIFICATION lorming part of Letters Patent No. 893,340, dated November20, 1888,

Application filed January Ill, 1888. Serial X0. 260.110. (Xe model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known thatI, JOHN H. NOLAN, of Boston, county of Suffolk, and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSpringBalances, of which the following is a specification,referencebeing had to the drawings accompanying and forming a parthereof, in which Figure l. is a :front elevation. vertical section online m, Fig. 1. a top view from line 3 3 Fig. 2.

The object of my invention is the construction of a simple and cheapdevice by which the weight of small articles may be easily measured; andit consists in a suitable platform or receiver on which the article tobe weighed is placed, said platform being supported by a spiral springthe distention of which is indicated by a pointer on a dial by means ofa rack and pinion connected and constructed as hereinafter set forth.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

A represents an upright triangular case, which may be made of tin orother suitable material, and which is designed to inclose the spring andits connected parts. This case is provided with a bottom, 1), and a top,0, the latter being provided with an aperture to re ceive the hollowshank c, which supports the platform, said aperture being slightlylarger in diameter than the shank, so as to admit of the verticalmovement of the shank. The top and bottom are flanged slightly, asshown, so as to fit onto the case A, and the bottom D rests on a. baseB, having spread enough to support the device firmly. The frame and itstop and bottom are secured together and to the base by vertical rods a,which are headed at their upper ends and provided with screwnuts attheir lower ends, which, when screwed up tightly, secure the partsfirmly together.

On the bottom D, inside the case A, a vertical rod, b, is secured, therod being provided with a flattened base for the purpose of securing it,by solder or otherwise, to the bottom D. The upper part of the rod 7) isencircled by a spiral spring, G, the upper end of the spring beingsecured in a slot or aperture in the top of the rod 7). A. collar, d,encircles the red I) and has an upwardly-projecting flange, p, which issecured by a pin, 9', to the lower end Fig.2isa Fig. 3 is of the springG. but is free to play up and down on the rod 1) as the spring isdistended or contracted. The hollow shank c, which supports the platformE on which the articles to be weighed are placed, rests at its lower endon the collard, and is therefore supported by the spring G. To thisshank c the arms a at either end of the vertical rack f are secured bysolder or otherwise. The rack f meshes with a pinion, j, fast on anarbor, 7. which carries the pointer at, said arbor being journaled atits rear end in a frame, g, secured inside the frame A by screws /1,which pass through the dial 1+ and the case A, and which also serve tosecure the dial in place. The front end of the arbor is journalcd in theframe and dial and projects in front of the dial a sufficient distanceto receive a nut or cap, Z, which is screwed or otherwise secured to thefront end of the arbor directly in front of the pointer or. On the innerface of the nut Z an annular recess is provided for the re ception ofthe spiral spring a. \Vhen the nut is in position, the spring it. bearsagainst the inner end or journal of the pointer in with suflicieut forceto cause the pointer to move normally with the arbor In, and at the sametime permit the person using the balance to move the pointer around thedial independently of the movement of the arbor, if desired. A washer orflange, 3, may be secured to the arbor 7. between the frame A and thepinion j, or said flange may be fast to the pinion to receive the innerend of the hub or bushing ol' the pointer m, which is pressed againstsaid flange by spring a. By mounting the pointer m. in the manner abovedescribed the balance may be much more conveniently used in the weighingof articles which require to be placed in a receptacle, as a plate orcup. "When a given amount of the article is to be weighed outirrespective of the weight of the recepta- 010 or vessel in which it isheld-for example, if a housekeeper desires to use two pounds of flour-aplate is placed on the platform of the scale. The weight of the platemay cause the pointer to indicate nine and a half ounces. Instead ofputting flour into the plate until the pointer indicates two pounds nineand a half ounces, the pointer, after the plate is on the scale, isslipped back to zero, and then flour is added until the pointerindicates the weight desired. In this way no account need be taken ofthe weight of the plate or other receptacle, and no process of reckoningis necessary.

The dial should be marked with a scale graduated in accordance with thepower of the spring, as will be obvious. In case a light spring is usedthe dial maybe coarsely graduated, thereby allowing ounces or parts ofan ounce to be indicated. In such case the pointer may pass around thedial several times in weighing a heavy article, and in order to indicatethe number of times the pointer has traversed the dial a hole, to, maybe cut inthe face of the dial in front of the rackf, exposing a numberon the rack which will indicate each revolution of the point-er, or thetotal weight the pointer indicates.

In case the spring G requires to be adjusted slightly the collar (Z maybe turned on the rod b. thus causing the pin 1" to ride up or down thespiral spring and increasing or diminish ing the working length of thesame.

What I claim is 1. InasprIng-balance, thecombina-tion,with the shank cand the balancingspring G, ofthe rack f, attached to said shank, anarbor provided with a pinion meshing with said rack and having also athreaded outer end, the pointer m, having a hub surrounding said arbor,the nut 2, having an interior annular re cess, and a spiral spring, 02,arranged in said recess and pressing against the said hub, substantiallyas set forth.

2. The combination, with the platform E 5 and its supporting-shank, ofthe rod I), the spring G,attached thereto at its upper end, the

'collar 11, secured to the lower end of said spring, the raekfand itspinion, and the arbor k and its pointer m, substantially as de- 0scribed.

3. The combination, with the case A, having the top and bottom pieces, 0and D, of the platform-shank 0, extending within said case, thebalancing-spring G, the rod 1), the base B, 45 and the rods a, providedwith heads at their upper ends and with nuts at their lower ends beneathsaid base, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the caseA and the rod 1), secured to the bottomthereof, of the 50 spring G, encircling said rod and secured at itsupper end thereto, and thus guided and supported independently of saidcase, and the hollow platform-snpporting shank c, surrounding saidspring and connected at its lower end 55 with the latter, substantiallyas set forth.

JOHN H. NOLAN.

\Vitnesses:

WM. A. MAoLEoD, ROBERT WALLACE.

